Culinary-Inspirations (chefjammer@twitter)

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Monday, February 23, 2015

To set yourself up for success, think about planning
a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big
drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you
will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

Manageable
portions of meats, People do not over consume meat!

·Simplify.
Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion
sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way
it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love
and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet
will become healthier and more delicious.

·Start
slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet
healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually
leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like
adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or
switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit,
you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.

·Focus
on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and
tastes. The more healthy food you eat, the better you’ll feel after a meal. The
more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable,
nauseous, or drained of energy.

·Every change you make to improve your
diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely
eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel
good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let
your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

·Think
of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

·Water.
Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go
through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s
common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help
you make healthier food choices.

·

·Exercise.
Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you
would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise
are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food
choices a habit.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

While people who eat a lot of red meat are known to
be at higher risk for certain cancers, other carnivores are not, prompting
researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine to
investigate the possible tumor-forming role of a sugar called Neu5Gc, which is
naturally found in most mammals but not in humans.

In a study published in the Dec. 29 online early
edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists
found that feeding Neu5Gc to mice engineered to be deficient in the sugar (like
humans) significantly promoted spontaneous cancers. The study did not involve
exposure to carcinogens or artificially inducing cancers, further implicating
Neu5Gc as a key link between red meat consumption and cancer.

"Until now, all of our evidence linking Neu5Gc
to cancer was circumstantial or indirectly predicted from somewhat artificial
experimental setups," said principal investigator Ajit Varki, MD, Distinguished
Professor of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine and member of the UC
San Diego Moores Cancer Center. "This is the first time we have directly
shown that mimicking the exact situation in humans -- feeding non-human Neu5Gc
and inducing anti-Neu5Gc antibodies -- increases spontaneous cancers in
mice."

Varki's team first conducted a systematic survey of
common foods. They found that red meats (beef, pork and lamb) are rich in
Neu5Gc, affirming that foods of mammalian origin such as these are the primary
sources of Neu5Gc in the human diet. The molecule was found to be
bio-available, too, meaning it can be distributed to tissues throughout the
body via the bloodstream.

The researchers had previously discovered that
animal Neu5Gc can be absorbed into human tissues. In this study, they
hypothesized that eating red meat could lead to inflammation if the body's
immune system is constantly generating antibodies against consumed animal
Neu5Gc, a foreign molecule. Chronic inflammation is known to promote tumor
formation.

To test this hypothesis, the team engineered mice to
mimic humans in that they lacked their own Neu5Gc and produced antibodies
against it. When these mice were fed Neu5Gc, they developed systemic
inflammation. Spontaneous tumor formation increased fivefold and Neu5Gc
accumulated in the tumors.

"The final proof in humans will be much harder
to come by," Varki said. "But on a more general note, this work may
also help explain potential connections of red meat consumption to other diseases
exacerbated by chronic inflammation, such as atherosclerosis and type 2
diabetes.

"Of course, moderate amounts of red meat can be
a source of good nutrition for young people. We hope that our work will
eventually lead the way to practical solutions for this catch-22."

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

(NaturalNews) Let's face it: The word superfood has
become overused. This title, which was originally intended for foods whose
nutritional value considerably exceeded that of the average fruit or vegetable,
seems to be attached to almost any natural food these days. Mainstream health
magazines are particularly guilty of this abuse, often preferring to use
superfood as a marketing term rather than an objective declaration of
nutritiousness.

That said, there are a small number of foods that
truly deserve to be called superfoods. These tend to be exotic foods that are
seldom found in the average Westerner's home, but which are packed with so many
naturally occurring, bioavailable nutrients that they put most multivitamin
supplements to shame. This article lists four of the best of them.

Moringa oleifera

Arguably the king of superfoods is Moringa oleifera,
a fast-growing Himalayan tree whose leaves are bursting with so much goodness
that researchers have nicknamed it "The Miracle Tree" and "The
Tree of Immortality." Moringa leaves contain over 90 different types of
nutrients in high quantities, including seven times the vitamin C of oranges,
four times the vitamin A of carrots, four times the calcium of milk and three
times the potassium of bananas. The leaves are also a complete protein source,
since they contain all eight essential amino acids. (1) Given this
nutritiousness, it's unsurprising that studies have linked Moringa consumption
to the treatment of diabetes, anti-inflammatory diseases, cancer and much more.

Moringa powder is easy to purchase online, and makes
an excellent natural vitamin and mineral supplement. You might also like to try
Ben oil, a sweet-tasting oil made from the tree's pods that is rich in
disease-fighting antioxidants.

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is a gluten-free food prepared from the
young shoots of the wheat plant. It was popularized in the 1930s by the
American chemist Charles L. Schnabel, who claimed that 15 pounds of wheatgrass
is equal in nutritional value to 350 pounds of regular garden vegetables! (2)
While this claim is now considered to be exaggerated, it is true that
wheatgrass is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known to science.

According to spectral analysis, a mere 4 grams of
wheatgrass powder supplies us with 1,600 percent of our recommended daily
allowance (RDA) of vitamin E, 7,000 percent of our RDA of manganese, 15,293
percent of our RDA of riboflavin, 413 percent of our RDA of zinc and similarly
astounding concentrations of other essential nutrients. (3) It is also one of
the world's finest sources of chlorophyll, a powerful blood builder and
cleaner. This makes wheatgrass a potent detox food as well as a superb nutrient
supplement.

Chlorella and spirulina

Chlorella and spirulina are two single-celled algae
that thrive in the sunniest parts of freshwater bodies. Though both of them
probably qualify as superfoods individually, they become something truly
special when consumed together. This is because chlorella and spirulina possess
complementary rather than identical nutrient profiles. For example, chlorella
tends to contain more chlorophyll and iron than spirulina. Chlorella is also
better at chelating heavy metals from the body than spirulina and at repairing
cell damage due to its unique growth factor. Spirulina, on the other hand,
contains more protein, gamma-linoleic acid (a beneficial fat that is essential
for brain function) and cancer-fighting phycocyanin than chlorella. (4)
Consequently, consuming these two foods together supplies our bodies with an
extremely well-rounded infusion of nutrients -- far more than the average fruit
or vegetable could possibly provide!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

In Indonesia, there's a rare species of chicken
called the Ayam Cemani. The chicken is covered head to claw in black, even down
to its bones. Pretty metal, right? The bird is probably the closest thing to
the fabled Black Chocobo outside your PlayStation, except this one you can
deep-fry.

The Ayam Cemani features black plumage, legs,
tongue, beak, meat, bones and even organs. Talk about consistency. While the
chicken's blood is about the only thing that isn't black, it is a darker shade
than most poultry species. The chicken's noir pigmentation is thanks to a
genetic trait called fibromelanosis.

If you have the stomach to try one and can get past
the complete deafening darkness of its flesh and bones, an Ayam Cemani is worth
$2,500.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Scientists at Washington State University have
concluded that nondigestible compounds in apples -- specifically, Granny Smith
apples -- may help prevent disorders associated with obesity. The study,
thought to be the first to assess these compounds in apple cultivars grown in
the Pacific Northwest, appears in October's print edition of the journal Food
Chemistry.

"We know that, in general, apples are a good
source of these nondigestible compounds but there are differences in
varieties," said food scientist Giuliana Noratto, the study's lead
researcher. "Results from this study will help consumers to discriminate
between apple varieties that can aid in the fight against obesity."

The tart green Granny Smith apples benefit the
growth of friendly bacteria in the colon due to their high content of
non-digestible compounds, including dietary fiber and polyphenols, and low
content of available carbohydrates. Despite being subjected to chewing, stomach
acid and digestive enzymes, these compounds remain intact when they reach the
colon. Once there, they are fermented by bacteria in the colon, which benefits
the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut.

"The nondigestible compounds in the Granny
Smith apples actually changed the proportions of fecal bacteria from obese mice
to be similar to that of lean mice," Noratto said.

The discovery could help prevent some of the
disorders associated with obesity such as low-grade, chronic inflammation that
can lead to diabetes. The balance of bacterial communities in the colon of
obese people is disturbed. This results in microbial byproducts that lead to
inflammation and influence metabolic disorders associated with obesity, Noratto
said.

"What determines the balance of bacteria in our
colon is the food we consume," she said.

Re-establishing a healthy balance of bacteria in the
colon stabilizes metabolic processes that influence inflammation and the
sensation of feeling satisfied, or satiety, she said.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by
Washington State University. The original article was written by Sylvia Kantor.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

First the bad news: Jack mackerel have been
decimated, Atlantic cod populations have collapsed and Mediterranean bluefin
tuna are declining at alarming rates. In fact, in recent years some marine
ecologists have claimed, controversially, that all fisheries on earth could
collapse by 2048. But in the tiny port town of Darien, Georgia, there’s a
happier story to be told.

Thornell King’s salty 73-foot shrimp trawler, the
Kim-Sea-King, steams down the muddy Darien River, past Sapelo Island’s big red
and white striped lighthouse and into the Atlantic. About five miles offshore a
crewmate spots, floating near the surface, a mat of gyrating grapefruit-sized
globs that stretch the length of five city blocks, a slick so thick it appears
as if you could walk on it.

Cannonball jellyfish.Cannonball jellyfish.

These are cannonball jellyfish. Locals call them
“jellyballs.” And they will be dinner.

“Jellyballs have been very, very good to me,” says King,
who has worked as a state trooper for the last 20 years, and might be the only
jelly-balling cop in the country. This past season was particularly robust:
King and his men caughtan
estimated 5 million-plus pounds of cannonball jellyfish. At what King says is
this year’s price (seven cents a pound), this equates to $350,000. Statistics
are absent in this burgeoning new industry, but since King operates three of the fewer than 10 boats legally fishing jellyfish
in Georgia, and there are maybe a handful in Florida and South Carolina, the
market value of the jellies being fished in the U.S. can be estimated at
somewhere in the low millions.

National Marine Fisheries Service data for the U.S.
suggests 2,152 metric tons of cannonball jellyfish were harvested in 2011,
worth $301,000, but the figure doesn’t include confidential data submitted by
states, which would likely raise these numbers dramatically, and thus is
incomplete.

The cannonball jellies in the waters off the
southeastern U.S. are so plentiful that even the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) doesn’t know exactly how many there are. The main thing holding
the industry back is the development of more processing plants.

To catch jellyfish, this funnel — capable of holding
3,000 pounds of jellies at a time — is dragged through the water.1Thornell King
repairs nets with one of his crew.2

1To catch jellyfish, this funnel — capable of
holding 3,000 pounds of jellies at a time — is dragged through the water.

2Thornell King repairs nets with one of his crew.

These brownish Cnidarians (from the Greek knide, or
nettle, for their abilityto
sting) are now the state of Georgia’s third biggest fishery by volume, behind
crabs and shrimp. The first cannonball jellies were commercially harvested off
the Gulf Coast of Florida in the early ’90s, and since then Darien, Georgia,
has become the epicenter of the industry. In
1998, the DNR issued experimental permits to allow some harvesting, and in 2013
jellyfish became a formally regulated state fishery. “It has been a really good
success story,” says DNR biologist Jim Page. “We went from a critter that back
in the ’60s fishermen hated because it clogged their shrimping nets to an
animal these guys have been able to take advantage of, and I imagine this
fishery will continue to expand.”

With one licensed jellyfish processing plant in
Darien — called Golden Island International — and another purportedly opening
soon, the jellyball industry (consisting of, in addition to the plant, six
boats, three of which are King’s) is a job creator. During the peak season from
November to about May, it employs around 150 people, a sizable number for the
town of about 1,900.

We may have no choice but to eat foods that make
sense ecologically — or can at least thrive in a changed environment.

At the Golden Island plant, the jellies are dried
and shipped to China and Japan, where they are cut into long, thin strips and
served in salads with cabbage and teriyaki sauce. If prepared right, the
jellyfish are crunchy, like a carrot. Jellyfish are popular in China, along
with other sea creatures like geoducks (those gigantic phallic clams from the
Pacific Northwest) for similar textural reasons.

But these sorts of foods are being embraced well
beyond Asia. And as climate change and the global industrial agriculture system
continue on what many view as a doomed course, we may have no choice but to eat
foods that make sense ecologically — or can at least thrive in a changed
environment. Jellyfish, prolific breeders with low metabolic rates and the
ability to eat almost anything (some breeds just ingest organic material
through their epidermis), have survived in unfriendly environs for centuries.
But in the end, even jellyfish are prone to humanity’s insatiable appetite; the
reason why the Georgia cannonball jelly industry is booming, according to at
least some involved in the industry, is because the creatures have been
overharvested in parts of Asia.Proteins are perhaps the biggest hurdle to
feeding a growing planet. “I am not a doomsdayer,” says Dr. Paul Rozin, a
biocultural psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, but he does believe
that our ecology is threatened. Not only are the world’s fisheries in trouble,
but the meat industry has received increasing criticism for inhumane practices.

When the boat returns to shore, jellies are vacuumed
onto a conveyor belt before processing.When the boat returns to shore, jellies
are vacuumed onto a conveyor belt before processing; Outside Golden Island
International; Partially dried jellyfish in brine, ready to be shipped to Asia.

“What we eat and how we produce it needs to be
re-evaluated,” states a 2013 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
report on edible insects. The paper points out that insects already form part
of the diets of at least 2 billion people. Rearing insects uses less land than
traditional livestock, and insects can be equally if not more nutritious and
are more efficient at converting feed into protein. Crickets, for example, need
12 times less feed than cattle (and half as much as pigs and broiler chickens)
to produce the same amount of protein. “The case needs to be made to consumers
that eating insects is not only good for their health,” reads the U.N. report,
“it is good for the planet.”

Still, for now, most Americans are averse to eating
bugs — or jellyfish. But Rozin points to sushi as an example of how tastes can
change. In the 1950s, average Americans would have politely spit into their
napkins if served raw fish. Now even residents of deeply landlocked
metropolises can eat fresh sushi at a Japanese restaurant. But the main lesson
is one of foodonomics. Sushi is associated with worldliness and wealth, even
though you can now find it at most malls; i.e., sushi was popularized from the
top down.

“The question is, what is it about a particular
animal that makes it more disgusting than others?” asks Rozin. “We don’t want
to eat bats; we don’t want to eat rats; we don’t want to eat cats.” Why don’t
we want to eat jellyfish? Rozin believes it could be because of the sliminess
factor. Yet other slimy foods have gotten around this to thrive in America —
most notably oysters.

Back on the coast of Georgia, King says he doesn’t
think Southerners will ever appreciate the jellyfish. “I don’t want to
disrespect,” says King, leaning against the shiprail of the Kim-Sea-King as
summer thunder rumbles in the distance, “but if I take something home to my
wife for dinner, it’s not going be jellyballs.”

At nearby Golden Island International, though, a Friday
afternoon jellyfish taste test is underway. April Harper, Golden’s spunky
manager, has chopped celery into thin slices and shredded carrots. To this she
adds a teriyaki vinaigrette and slivers of jellyfish. Moments ago, the slightly
diaphanous product looked like a granny’s shower cap, but cut into strips and
put in the salad it resembles a tiny bowl of linguine, and Harper says it is
very refreshing. The samples are for the fishermen, most of whom are unfamiliar
with the product they are out there catching, but Harper plans on inviting
other Darien residents soon. The company plans to push the product on the
American market after completing research on its nutritional value.

“Right now, you go into a sushi restaurant and you
order a squid salad,” says Harper enthusiastically. “I mean come on, I think we
can beat the pants off a squid salad!”

Friday, September 5, 2014

They call it The Rustic RavioliBurger, and it’s Slater’s 50/50′s latest monthly burger project which features an Italian sausage and Brandt beef patty, fried ravioli, grilled broccoli, roasted tomato and pesto Alfredo on a brioche bun.

The burger will be available for the entire month of September as their Burger of the Month.

While we haven’t tried this beast yet — it looks like one of the most interesting entries the chain has offered up in recent memory. Slater’s is known for their 50/50 burger, a blend of 50% ground bacon and 50% ground beef.

About Me

I’m Jamar, thanks for visiting my website.I’ve spend most of my life persevering through a lot of difficult situations.I love my family they inspire me daily to go out and make this world a better place.From a young age I’ve been in love with cooking.My aunt Gerdine Washington was a huge inspiration for me.Her cooking is the best food I can remember.After graduating High School from Taylor Allderdice in Pittsburgh.I began working at Montz Restaurant.I began working in various food establishments in Pittsburgh working for Olive Garden,I transferred to the Poughkeepsie branch and continued working for them as I went through the AOS program at the CIA.I’m on the board of the Black Culinary Society,I work with men and women such as Alex Askew of the Black Culinary Alliance.I got a job with the Mohonk Mountain House for an extended 12 months learning contemporary service and advanced banquet cooking.One of the best culinary experiences I’ve had to date.I returned to the CIA and completed my degree in May of 2011.I took a job at the Red Devon in the Hudson valley and continue to cook, farm to table.I return to the CIA for the Bachelor’s program and graduated in October 2012